


How Old Town Does

by thenafics



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Jason in Batman Batman Beyond, rating is because i wanted Terry to say "fuck"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21667081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenafics/pseuds/thenafics
Summary: Terry ends up needing a rescue and the Red Hood shows up to show off how they throw down in old Gotham. Terry has a few "oh shit," moments before they even get to the emotional baggage that is Bruce.At some point in an unspecified alternate universe of Batman Beyond
Comments: 21
Kudos: 231





	How Old Town Does

**Author's Note:**

> The whole thought process was Jason is unnecessarily dramatic but also good enough at what he does to justify it.  
> I wrote this on a plane, so it is 1)not that long, and 2) not edited

Terry is in maybe a little in over his head in the bad part of town. They throw down a little differently here and he’s not entirely used to old-fashioned brawling. Just as he’s about to be totally overwhelmed, someone drops down from the sky and proceeds to kick mad ass. The guy is a veritable giant, standing several inches taller than Terry and built like a freighter. He looks even more old-school than the gangsters he’s wailing on. His brown leather jacket and tac pants are in a style almost thirty years out of date. Any of the gangsters still standing scatter like roaches when they catch sight of the glinting red helmet and the gun the masked man draws. Old-school. The kind that shoots real bullets instead of some kind of energy blast.

When the man turns, Terry sees the flat eyes of the helmet and has a bit of an “Oh Fuck,” moment. Because this guy is Trouble, capital letter intended. This is the Red Hood, Gotham’s very own ghost story. Terry has tangled with plenty bad guys, he is the goddamn Batman after all, but he is in no way shape or form mentally prepared to deal with this. Just as the sinking dread in his stomach reaches new and epic proportions, the suit’s electronics fritz out. One too many hits with a baseball bat must have knocked enough wiring loose to give Terry one hell of a shock. He starts to tip sideways and doesn’t stop.

“C’mon kid, let’s get you back to the cave.”

Terry wakes up loaded into the passenger seat of the Batmobile. The Red Hood is guiding the vehicle smoothly into the docking bay with a skill born of familiarity.

“What the hell,” Terry croaks out “How’d you even get in the car. Bruce’s gonna kill me.”

The Red Hood chuckles, the sound warped by the helmet into something that sends a chill down Terry’s spine.

“You’ll be fine kid. I just got some … Business with the old man.”

The Red Hood unfolds himself from the driver’s seat leaving Terry to struggle out under his own power. Bruce is waiting for them in his chair. The scowl on his face is thunderous. Terry practices some of his hard-won sense of self preservation and lets the Red Hood approach first.

“Long time no see Bruce. I see you’ve got a new kid. Really thought you’d put a stop to that after all this time.”

“Hello Jason.”

“So formal Brucie, I thought you’d have lightened up without the weight of the cowl. So much less self righteousness to carry around”

“I see you’re still dramatic.”

“I see you’re still an asshole.”

“Guys?” Terry cuts in, even though he has the distinct feeling it would be better if the both of them forgot he was here. Both of them turn to face him, tensing as if ready for an attack. “Are you guys going to like, actually attack each other? I am super confused and just want to go take a shower. Are you guys gonna be cool while I clean up?”

“Go shower Terry,” Bruce says, very Bruceishly. Which in this case meant equal parts annoyance, exasperation, and old man grumpiness. Terry flashes him a thumbs up and hits the lockers.

As he showers and takes care of some new electrical burns, he can vaguely hear the sound of arguing. He comes back just in time to hear the Red Hood calling Bruce a “CPS nightmare.”

“I can not believe you didn’t tell him about us Bruce!”

“He’s met Dick and Tim. Babs as well.”

“What about Damian? What about Steph or Cass? What about me? He needs to know what this life can take.”

“He didn’t have a choice. Either I took him in, or Cadmus would have done horrible things to make another Batman. If you’re going to accuse me of not warning him, at least take off your helmet and look me in the eye.”

“Fine!”

The Red Hood presses some sort of hydraulic release and rips off the helmet, revealing a face that is visually close in age to Terry’s own. A face that Terry recognizes from a photograph in Mr.Drake’s house dated decades ago. Marked with more scars now, but untouched by age. A face Mr. Grayson had looked heartbroken to see in the holoframe. The Red Hood smiles sardonically at the shock painted across both Bruce and Terry’s faces.

“Lookin’ pretty good for almost sixty, dontcha think?”

“... What… “

“Ha. Nice to meet you Terry. I’m Jason. I used to be Robin.” He smiles with too many teeth and spreads his arms wide theatrically. “Welcome to the family kid!”

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this and you want to send me a prompt or just chat, go check out my tumblr here ( https://thenafics.tumblr.com/ ) someday I'll figure out how to make that a link~ I love getting prompts and will do my best to write something for anyone who sends in!  
> As always, thank you so much for taking the time to check this out!  
> <3


End file.
